Bomb shackle operating mechanism



July 31, 1945. D. s. ELLIOTT BOM B SHACKLE OPERATING MECHANISM 1 Filed July 1, 1941 Patented July 31, 1945 BOMB SHACKLE OPERATING MECHANISM Daniel s. Elliott, Middle River, Ma, assignor to 'lahe Glenn L. Martin Company, Baltimore,

Application July 1,1941, Serial No. 400,619

Claims.

The invention relates to bomb shackles and especially to a novel operating mechanism therefor.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a bomb shackle mechanism with means for locking the same, for setting it for selective operation, or for operating the mechanism to re-.

succeeding shackle aftera bomb has been dropped by the electrical control in selective position, these means being however inoperative when the bomb shackle is positively operated by the mechanical means in a salvo operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, particularly when taken-in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bomb shackle operating mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of a circuit for a plurality of bomb shackles made in accordance with the invention.

The bomb shackle has a frame generally indicated at 2. On this frame is pivoted at 4 a bomb holding lever 6 having a suitable hook 8 at its lower end engageable with an eye ID on a bomb fOr supporting the bomb.

An auxiliary frame I2 is carried by the frame 2. On this frame It, a bomb release operating lever is pivoted about an axis [4, this lever having an arm I! which is engageable with the upper will engage and move lever B to the broken line position.

Movement of lever l6, l8 under the action of spring 26 is normally prevented by engagementof the end of lever arm I8 with a hook 22 on and arm 24 of a bomb release control lever which is pivoted at 26 on theirame l2. Arm 24 is connected by a pin and slot 28 to the core 30 of a solenoid 32, a spring 34 normally urging this core outward.

The other arm 36 of the lever cooperates with a slidable bar 38 constituting the mechanical control member. Bar 38 has two projections 40, 42 forming a notch therebetween, these projections being engageable with lever arm 36. The sliding movement of bar 38 is limited by pin 44 and slot 46, and the bar can occupy either the solid line position A, the dotted line position B,

or the dot and dash line position C.

Lever arm 24 also carries .two spaced pins 50 between which is located the arm 52 of a doublepole switch 54 having blades 56 and 58 see Fig. 2). In the position shown in solid lines in the drawing, blade 56 connects solenoid 32 through switch 60 to battery 62, while blade 58 connects through light 64 and switch 66 to the battery. In the dotted line position,'blade 56 connects the battery through switch 60 to blade 56' of a second bomb shackle, while blade 58 is grounded.

A second solenoid 68 is provided for moving lever 10 to operate arming lever 12 of the usual type. This is controlled by switch 14 connected to battery 62. I

This mechanismoperates as follows: In normal periods, bar 38 is in position A, in which nose 40 engages lever arm 36 and thereby prevents any clockwise movement of lever 24, 36, thus holding the release actuating lever l6, l8 against movement, even though switch 60 may be closed to energize solenoid 32.

When the bar 38 is moved to position B, lever arm 36 is free to swing. If now the pilot wishes to drop a :bomb, he first closes switch 14 to energize the arming solenoid 68, and then closes switch 68 to energize solenoid 32 (switch blades 56, 58 being in the solid line position, Fig. 1). Lever 24, 36 is then turned clockwisefar enough to release lever arm l8 from nose 22, and spring 28 turns lever l6, l8 counterclockwise. In this movement lever arm I 6 rocks lever 6 to the broken line position to release the bomb.

As soon as switch 60 is released and solenoid 32 deenergized, spring 34 pushes core 3t! downward and turns lever arm 24 to the broken line position shown. Upper pin 50 during this movement engages switch arm 52 and moves it, and thereby blades 56 and 58, to their broken line positions. Now,,when switch 60 is again closed, it will, through blades 56 and 56, energize the solenoid 32' of a second bomb shackle.

If at any time the pilot wishes to know which shackles are still loaded, he merely closes switch 66. If no bomb has been dropped, blade 58 will will not light.

In case of emergency, bar 38 is pushed to positionC. During this movement, nose 42 engages arm 36 to turn lever 24, 36 clockwise and remove nose 22 from the path of lever arm l8. This leaves lever l6, l8 free to turn and cause the release of the bomb.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bomb release system consisting of a plurality of bomb shackles, a bomb shackle operating mechanism comprising a bomb release control member movable between locking and releasing position, means to move said member to releasing position, an element cooperating with said control member and movable to two positions, said element in one position leaving said member free for operation by said first means, and having means thereon engageable with said member during movement toa second position to move said member to releasing position, said first means comprising a solenoid operatively connected to said member and circuit means to supply current to said solenoid, switch means in said current supply means adapted for alternative contact with a solenoid of a second bomb shackle, means to move said member after it has moved to releasing position in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by said solenoid past its locking position, and means operated by such movement of said member to actuate said switch means, thereby disconnecting said solenoid from said circuitmeans and connecting to said circuit means said solenoid of a second bomb shackle, said element in said second position holding said member in releasing position whereby said switch remains closed in said actuated position.

2. In a bomb release system consisting of a plurality of bomb shackles, a shackle operating mechanism comprising a bomb release control member movable between locking and releasingalternative contact with a solenoid of a second bomb shackle, means to move said control member after it has been moved to releasing position in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by said solenoid past its locking position, and means operated by such'movement of said control member to actuate said switch means whereby said solenoid is disconnected and said solenoid of said second bomb shackle is connected for subsequent actuation.

v3. A bomb shackle operating mechanism comprising, a bomb release control member movable between locking and releasing positions, means to move said member to releasing position, an element cooperating with said control member and movable to three positions, said element having means thereon to lock said member against releasing movement in one of said positions, to leave said member free in a second position .for operation by said first means, and to move said member to releasing position in the third position, said first means comprising a solenoid operatively connected to said member and a circuit to supply current to said solenoid, a switch in said circuit, means to move said member after it has moved to release position in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by said solenoid past its locking position, and means operated by such movement of said member to open said switch, and disconnect said solenoid from said circuit, said element in said third position holdin said member in releasing position without employing said first means.

4. In a bomb release system consisting of a plurality of bomb shackles, a bomb shackle operating mechanism comprising a bomb release operating member normally urged to releasing position, a bomb release control lever having means thereon engageable with said operating member to hold the same in inoperative position, means to move said lever to release said member, an element cooperating with said lever. and movable to three positions, said element having means thereon-e51- gageable with-said lever to lock said lever against releasing movement in one of said positions, to

leave said lever free in another of said positions for operation by said second means, and to move said lever to releasing position in the third position, in which said second means comprises a solenoid operatively connected to said lever and circuit meansto supply current to said solenoid, switch means in said current supply means for alternative contact with a solenoid oi! a second bomb shackle, means to move said lever after it has released said control member in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by said .solenoid past its locking position, and means operated by such movement of said lever to actuate said switch means and thereby disconnect said solenoid from said circuit and to connect to said circuit said solenoid of said second bomb shackle.

5. In a bomb release system consisting of a plurality oi. bomb shackles, a shackle operating mechanism comprising a bomb release control member movable between lockin and release positions, means to move said member to releasing position, said means comprising a solenoid operatively connected to move said member, a circuit to energize said solenoid,,an indicator system in said circuit, switch means in said circuit adapted for alternative contact with a solenoid of a bomb shackle, means to move said member, after it has been moved to releasing position, in a. direction opposite to that in which it is moved by said solenoid ,past its locking position, and means operated by such movement of said member to actuate said switch means whereby the solenoid of the first shackle is disconnected, said solenoid of said second shackle is connected for subsequent actuation, and said indicator system is disconnected thereby indicating that a shackle has been released.

DANIEL S. EILIOT'I'. 

